SBLive's All-City Section Girls Basketball Awards: Marianne Boco is Player of the Year; Rylei Waugh and Mariah Blake are MVP runners-up

CIFLACS girls basketball is on the upswing. 2022-23 was by many accounts the City's strongest season of the last few years in girls hoops, and there's a great chance that the trend will continue in 2023-24.

Here are SBLive's All-L.A. City Section girls basketball awards for the past season. Team success, individual statistics, non-statistical contributions, strength of schedule, and the opinions of coaches throughout the section were all major criteria, with playoff performances carrying extra weight.

Player of the Year: G Marianne Boco – Granada Hills Charter – Jr.

Player of the Year Runner-Up: G Rylei Waugh – Westchester – Sr.

Player of the Year Runner-Up: F Mariah Blake – Westchester – Jr.

Defensive Player of the Year: G Dalayja Floyd-Hurt – Crenshaw – Sr.

Sixth Woman of the Year: F Karma Paez – Granada Hills Charter – Jr.

FIRST TEAM

G Marianne Boco – Granada Hills Charter – Jr.

After a laborious decision that included ample consideration of having co-MVPs, Boco is SBLive's City Section Player of the Year. 

Now the back-to-back LACS Wooden Award winner, Boco averaged team-highs of 16.6 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.1 steals per game to lead GHC to a dominant sweep of the West Valley League and the section Open Division finals. And those nightly averages don't tell the full story. Boco spent an early chunk of the season adapting to life as a full-time point guard, but from Christmas time onward, she consistently played her best basketball yet. And she brought her A-game against Granada's top opponents almost all season long.

During league play, Boco averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 assists, 5.4 steals, and 4.3 rebounds per contest shooting 49-percent overall and 42-percent from deep. And she found another gear in the playoffs despite battling an ankle injury for nine of the ten halves in which she played. Boco's 29 points in the title game in a 51-44 loss to Westchester – after reaggravating the injury in the second quarter – constituted one of the best playoff performances in recent City Section history. In a game that was 44-44 with a couple minutes left, Boco nearly willed her team to a championship, and she followed it up by dropping 25 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals in a regional playoff victory over Southern Section Open Division member Bishop Montgomery. We believe this to be the first time a City Section team has beaten a CIFSS Open Division team in the regional playoffs since, coincidentally, when Granada Hills Charter beat Bishop Montgomery in 2017-18.

G Rylei Waugh – Westchester – Sr.

With her third consecutive First Team selection, Waugh becomes the first four-time SBLive All-LACS honoree ever for spearheading the top offense in the section. In addition to averaging double-figures in the scoring column again, she had her best season yet as a facilitator and defender to help lead Westchester to an Open Division title. Waugh was voted by coaches as the Player of the Year in the Western League and the co-POY of the Open Division, indicating that her mere presence as a scoring threat was the paramount focus of opposing game plans even in games where she didn't take many shots or stuff the stat sheet.

G Dalayja Floyd-Hurt – Crenshaw – Sr.

Crenshaw overcame a glaring lack of size to have one of the best defenses in the section this season. The key? A ruthless full-court press and extreme pressure in the half-court both on and off the ball, anchored by perhaps the quickest player in the section – Floyd-Hurt, who averaged 6.7 steals per game.

She was the lynchpin as the Cougars were able to trap any time, any where, and dominated passing lanes without much actual gambling. With the speed and awareness to get back into any play, Floyd-Hurt was a key reason that Crenshaw could consistently front-load its defense into the backcourt without getting punished. When opponents did manage to get the ball up the court, thinking they had an advantage situation going downhill, they would quickly get demoralized as Floyd-Hurt turned their transition offense into a Crenshaw steal and a layup. Her presence was almost like a dominant free safety in football, making teams afraid to pass into open space no matter where she was on the court – especially when a steal was almost always worth two points on the other end. With Floyd-Hurt as the head of the snake, Crenshaw enforced its will defensively against not only the teams it badly overmatched, but even its best opponents and foes with quality ball-handlers. On the ball, Floyd-Hurt could disrupt and stay in front of opposing playmakers with the best of them.

In addition to being the DPOY, Floyd-Hurt averaged 13 points and 5.1 assists per game for the third-ranked team in the section, fluidly shifting on and off the ball. She shot blistering marks of 54-percent from the field and 45-percent from downtown.

G Hannah Lising – Sun Valley Poly – Jr.

The Division 1 Player of the Year, Lising led Poly to a D-1 championship averaging team-highs of 18.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1 block per game game in addition to 2.3 APG and 3.3 SPG. She delivered one of the top performances in recent section history in the title game, dropping 35 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals on just 12 field goal attempts to defeat LACES 67-64 with her team missing its co-star.

G/F Ron'yae Jackson – Westchester – Sr.

The CSULA commit was both a consistent double-digit scorer and a proverbial glue guy for the Open Division champion. Jackson was able to play nearly any position or role on any given night depending on what the Lady Comets needed, and was also one of their most clutch shooters/scorers.

F Mariah Blake – Westchester – Jr.

For the second season in a row, Blake put herself in MVP contention as Westchester's leading scorer, an explosive all-around player, and a clutch postseason star. Blake scored 19 points in the Lady Comets' semifinals victory over Crenshaw and 20 points against Granada Hills Charter to lead them to a championship. As one of the longest and most athletic players in the section at nearly six feet tall, she also was one of the section's top rebounders and defensive playmakers. And her versatility – the ability to play 2-5 on both ends, and to impact the game whether or not she was the offensive focal point – was central to making the Comets' offense almost impossible to scheme against.

F/C Taylor Arnold – Palisades – Sr.

Arnold, the Western League's MVP runner-up, was one of the premier inside scorers, rebounders, and frontcourt passers in the LACS. She finishes her career as a three-time SBLive all-section honoree.

SECOND TEAM

G Noelani Raigans – San Pedro – Jr.

With 18.6 points per game, Raigans led San Pedro to a Division 2 championship, the regional title game, and one of the best years in program history. She was also among the top passers and backcourt defenders in the LACS. 

G Heart Lising – Sun Valley Poly – Jr.

Lising averaged 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and team-highs of 4.4 assists and 3.5 steals per game for the Division 1 champion.

G Anayla Anderson – King/Drew – Jr.

Anderson was the leading scorer and a two-way catalyst for the Coliseum League co-champs and a top-four team in the City.

G Alexis Wallace – King/Drew – So.

Wallace broke out as one of the section's top sophomores and overall point guards to help lead King/Drew to the Open Division semifinals.

G Citlali Salazar – Crenshaw – Sr.

One of the premier scorers in the City with the ball in her hands, a three-time SBLive All-LACS selection, and a recent CSUSB commit. Salazar averaged a team-high 14.2 points for the Open Division semifinalist to go with 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals, and 1.5 assists per game.

G Kinidi Curl – Hamilton – So.

Curl carried a heavy load to keep a young Lady Yankees squad inside the section's upper ranks and lead them to the D1 semifinals. She showed many flashes indicating that she could be in the MVP conversation a year or two from now.

G/F DeeDee Berry – Birmingham – Jr.

Berry averaged 13.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the fifth-ranked team in the LACS, and was one of the section's top perimeter defenders.

C/F Samantha Maldonado – San Fernando – Sr.

Maldonado was one of the section's most consistent dominating forces to lead San Fernando to the Open Division. She averaged 16.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game on 47-percent shooting, and scored in double figures in 24 of 26 games.

C/F Emma Perez – Granada Hills Charter – Jr.

A nightly double-double threat and defensive ace for the No. 2 team in the section. Perez averaged 8.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game, and was our runner-up for DPOY. She both anchored the paint and spent ample time guarding on the wing for the top defense in the City.

THIRD TEAM

G Aliyah Muhammad – Taft – So.

While she missed an early chunk of the season and the team's playoff opener, Muhammad elevated Taft tremendously in the 17 games she was around. She averaged team-highs of 13.8 PPG and 2.7 SPG to go with 2.1 APG, and stretched the floor far beyond the three-point line.

G Sammy Velazquez – Birmingham – Jr.

Velazquez averaged 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 2.7 assists per game for the fifth-ranked team in the section.

G Natalie Lopez – Birmingham – Jr.

One of the LACS' top two-way point guards, Lopez totaled 9.1 points, 5.2 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals per game.

F Elise Arnold – Palisades – Sr.

A two-time First Team All-Western League honoree, Arnold helped guide Pali to a second place finish in its conference and an Open Division birth. She makes Third Team despite missing significant time with an injury and battling through it later in the year. With a full senior season to dominate individually and help the Dolphins reach their top gear by playoff time, the Emerson commit could've been in contention for a First Team spot. 

F Karma Paez – Granada Hills Charter – Jr.

The runaway pick for Sixth Woman of the Year, Paez was second in scoring on the Open Division semifinalist with 9.7 points per game. She also was a defensive key with the versatility to guard nearly every position.

F Kenna McConnachie – Los Angeles CES – Sr.

McConnachie led LACES to the Division 1 finals averaging 15 points, 9.4 rebounds, 5.2 steals, and 2.7 assists per game. She was particularly consistent scoring the ball, reaching double-figures in 29 of 30 games while shooting 51-percent.

F/C Evelyn Birau – Taft – Sr.

Birau turned in another outstanding season to lead Taft to an Open Division birth and tie for second in the West Valley League. She averaged 13.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.6 assists per game on 58-percent shooting.

C Brigita Bulotaite – Taft – Jr.

In her first year of City Section hoops, Bulotaite quickly proved herself as one its top inside forces and defensive contributors. She was arguably the top rim protector in the LACS with 2.7 blocks per game, and averaged 1.9 SPG as well. Bulotaite also totaled 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, and managed to lead her team in assists from the center spot with 2.2 APG.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

G Reigne Waugh – Westchester – So.

Waugh provided yet more scoring punch and floor spacing for the Open Division champions, including in the clutch.

G Tylan Adams – Narbonne – Sr.

Adams was one of the most dominant scorers in the City for much of her career at over 20 PPG.

G Nicole Vanegas – Verdugo Hills – Sr.

Vanegas wrapped up her career with 1,717 points, the most points of any active LACS player. She averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2.1 assists a game as a senior.

G Natalie Maow Melendez – Granada Hills Charter – Jr.

Melendez was a steadying force on the Open Division finalist, and was second on the team in assists and steals. She averaged 6.7 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.7 steals per contest.

G Maya Sano – Los Angeles CES – Sr.

Sano finishes her career as a two-time section champion, three-time section finalist, and former Division 1 MVP. She was the No. 2 all-around threat for the Unicorns with career-highs of 9.2 points and 3.4 steals per game to go with 1.9 APG. 

G Jade Fort – Hamilton – So.

Fort emerged as the second star for a Hamilton team that spent much of the season ranked in the top five or six in the section.

G/F Bailey Prewitt – Crenshaw – Fr.

Only one freshman in the LACS garnered all-section honors from us – Prewitt, who  led the Cougars with 8.3 rebounds per game to go with 8.4 points and 2.5 steals.

G/F Andrea Hinton – King/Drew – Sr.

Hinton was a versatile cornerstone for the Golden Eagles, scoring in a variety of ways and matching up at three positions on both sides of the ball.

G/F Grace Marot – El Camino Real – Sr.

One of the best three-point shooters in the City, Marot was the leading scorer for a Royals squad that played one of the toughest schedules in the section.

F Christiauna Taylor – King/Drew – Jr.

Taylor also brought versatility for the Open Division semifinalist, often spending time leading King/Drew's second unit.

F Ava Kidder – Eagle Rock – Sr.

Kidder stuffed the stat sheets like few others for the Northern League champ, leading Eagle Rock with 10.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 steals, and 3.2 assists a game.

F Maribel Rodriguez – Arleta – Sr.

Rodriguez went a little under the radar but had a huge all-around season for the Mustangs. She notched 13 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.9 steals, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.  

F Krystal Pineda – Granada Hills Charter – Sr.

Pineda was the best charge-taker in the section, at one point taking 6 in a game, and emerged as a walking double-double in the playoffs. She lifted GHC to playoff victories over King/Drew in the semifinals with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Bishop Montgomery in the regional playoffs with 11 points, 13 rebounds, 3 charges taken, and 3 steals.

C Anyse Grimble – Westchester – Sr.

After a solid regular season helping anchor the paint for the top team in the section, Grimble found another gear in the playoffs, in which she averaged over 12 rebounds per game.